Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The Washington Nationals are the last of the current crop of NL teams to make it to the World Series (assuming the world doesn't end in the next six days). This has not been the case since 1962, when the expansion era came to the NL (having come to the AL a year earlier). It had been the case since 1926, when the St. Louis Cardinals became the last of the original 8 NL teams to make the World Series. Curiously, the last AL team was also based in St. Louis - the old Browns (now the Orioles in Baltimore) finally got there in 1944.
In 1961/62, MLB added 4 expansion teams. By the time they added 4 more in 1969, no expansion team had made the World Series. By the time the AL added 2 more in 1977, the Mets were the only team that had gone to a Series. When 1993 rolled around and the NL added another 2 teams, the Royals and Brewers and Padres and Blue Jays had joined the ranks of expansion teams making it to the Fall Classic. But that expansion brought to 7 the number of teams that had never made it. Only the Marlins would join the club before the final (to date) expansion round occurred. Since then, steadily, the number has been whittled away: the Diamondbacks in 2001, the Angels in 2002, the Astros in 2005, the Rockies in 2007, the Rays in 2008.
Now, with the Nationals poised to play in the World Series, the Seattle Mariners will be the only remaining franchise to never had done so.
Other leagues?
The NBA has 6 franchises (Clippers, Grizzlies, Hornets, Nuggets, Pelicans, Timberwolves) that have never played in the NBA Finals. The last time every NBA franchise had done so was in 1961, when there were 8 teams. Expansion began the following season.
The NHL has 4 franchises (Blue Jackets, Coyotes, Jets, Wild) that have never played in the Stanley Cup Finals. The last time every NHL franchise had done so was in 1967, when there were 6 teams. Expansion began the following season.
The NFL has 2 franchises (Jaguars, Texans) that have never played in an NFL Championship game*. There has never been a time when every NFL franchise had done so, as the Steelers were so bad prior to the expansion era than they never made it.
*This extends back before the Super Bowl, as that was essentially just a rebranding of the league's championship. The Browns and Lions have never played in a Super Bowl, but each played in numerous pre-Super Bowl NFL title games.
Status:
"Let's replace the puppet show with actual leadership."
(set 2 days ago)
Location: Suburban Dallas
52,706 posts, read 47,996,677 times
Reputation: 33895
And it should be noted that the Astros have the distinction of having been in the World Series in two different leagues, in the NL in 2005, and in the AL two years ago and now.
The Expos were never the same after "Blue Monday" and the infamous deciding NLCS game 5 vs the Dodgers. The strike of 1994 was almost destined to result in the Expos possessing the best record in baseball to the point the season was called off.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
